Expand Massachusetts Stories Grants - Mass Humanities
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Expand Massachusetts Stories Grants
Massachusetts is complicated and evolving. Steeped in revolutionary traditions that shape our
democracy, we live in a global capital of ideas enriched by generations of longtime residents and new
arrivals who reimagine the possibilities of our neighborhoods and institutions. Systemic inequities and
shifting demographics require new conversations about what it means to be part of the Massachusetts
story. As we begin the recovery from the extraordinary challenges of the last year, a reckoning with our
history can infuse new voices into our efforts to build a more equitable commonwealth.
At Mass Humanities, we believe in an inclusive society that recognizes all people’s perspectives,
especially those that have been historically excluded. Launching on June 1, the Expand Massachusetts
Stories initiative offers up to $20,000 for projects that collect, interpret and/or share narratives about the
commonwealth, with an emphasis on the voices and experiences that have gone unrecognized, or
have been excluded from public conversation.
Projects should employ the tools of the humanities—inquiry, contextualization, and reflection—to
improve our shared understanding of the Bay State. Organizations are encouraged to explore and
amplify previously unacknowledged voices from the past; make space for the lived experiences of
Massachusetts residents from historically excluded communities; reconsider well-known stories from
new perspectives; or provide opportunities for people to engage their understandings of their
communities through the humanities. Successful proposals will demonstrate how the project contributes
to a more inclusive story of Massachusetts. Mass Humanities is especially interested in projects based
in the knowledge and wisdom that exists locally.
Questions?
Email your questions to grants@masshumanities.org. We will respond to your questions and post an
updated FAQ on June 14th, based on common inquiries.
Amount of Funding
Applicants can request up to $20,000 in project funds. For projects awarded grants, Mass Humanities
will award requests in full.
1Timeline
The application process begins June 1, 2021. Final awards will be announced September, 21, 2021. To
learn more about the stages of the application process go to the “How to Apply” section.
Who is Eligible to Apply?
Applicant organizations must:
Be a 501(c)(3) non-profit, fiscally-sponsored association or filmmaker (see below), state or
federally recognized tribe, or non-federal government organization.
Serve Massachusetts residents.
Be in compliance with state and federal regulations which bar discrimination on the basis of
race, gender, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, age, or sexual
orientation, and which require accessibility for persons with disabilities. Specifically:
o The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)
o Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504)
o Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
o Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
o The Age Discrimination Act of 1975
Fiscally sponsored applicants: Ad-hoc groups, filmmakers, and non-profit organizations without
501(c)(3) status must find an eligible 501(c)(3) organization to be their fiscal sponsor. Fiscal sponsors
manage the grant funds and are identified in the application. They must also provide a signed fiscal
sponsor agreement for upload in the online application.
Mass Humanities does not award funding to individuals.
Applicants need to have completed any past Mass Humanities grant projects and submitted their final
report one week (June 15, 2021) before the Letter of Inquiry is due for a new grant application. There
are four exceptions to this rule:
Organizations can have open Reading Frederick Douglass Together and Bridge Street
Sponsorship Grants.
Organizations can be fiscal sponsors on more than one Mass Humanities grant at a time.
Colleges and universities can have more than one grant open at a time if those grants are for
different departments or institutes.
In July, Mass Humanities will create a grant opportunity for Massachusetts humanities
organizations, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities’ Sustaining the
Humanities through the American Rescue Plan (SHARP) Federal Relief Program. Organizations
may apply for both Mass Humanities SHARP and Expand Massachusetts Stories grants, but
may not apply to use SHARP funds for any direct project costs associated with their Expand
Massachusetts Stories grant.
What Kind of Projects are Eligible?
Expand Massachusetts Stories Grants can fund a project at either the planning or implementation
stage.
To be eligible, proposed projects need to:
Have the goal of making narratives of Massachusetts accessible to Massachusetts residents at
minimal cost to participants.
2 Have a clear objective and completion date.
Use the tools of the humanities—inquiry, contextualization, and/or reflection.
Be supported by a humanities advisor.
Primarily serve audiences outside of 4-year college faculty and students.
Potential projects may include
Oral histories
Community-centered museum exhibitions
Facilitated discussions about underrepresented aspects of local histories
Exhibits and programs focused on new interpretations of collections
Documentary films or digital media projects that present new insights into the lives of
Massachusetts residents past or present
Teacher professional development focused on connecting Massachusetts narratives to K-12
curriculum.
Programs that use inquiry, contextualization, and/or reflection to support residents in recording
and exploring their lived experiences.
Special Project Requirements
Film projects, oral history or story collection projects, and projects related to Native American and
Indigenous communities have additional requirements. See the Film Requirements, Oral History and
Story Collecting Requirements, and the Code of Ethics for Projects Related to Native Americans in the
Appendix.
What Expand Massachusetts Stories Grants Cannot Fund:
Work undertaken or supplies purchased before or after the grant period
Profit-making or fundraising projects; capital campaigns, or organizational strategic planning
Re-grants to other organizations
Direct social service, e.g., counseling, therapeutic, legal, or medical services
The creation of professional art or artistic performances
Professional theater productions
Costs of entertainment or alcohol
Tickets costs if the revenue from ticket sales goes to the applicant organization
Capital improvements, construction, or restoration
Lobbying or advocacy projects for specific public policies or legislation
The promotion of a particular political, religious, or ideological point of view
Scholarships or prizes
General operating costs (outside of indirect project costs)
What are We Looking For?
Every application is unique. These are the kinds of questions we ask when reviewing projects:
Expand Massachusetts Stories: How does the project expand public understanding of
Massachusetts’ stories, particularly stories that have been unrecognized in, or excluded from,
public conversation? What will participants learn about themselves and/or about Massachusetts
3that they did not know before? How do these stories matter to participants and/or
Massachusetts residents?
Humanities: Will humanities questions, themes, and/or content be important to the project and
participants’ experiences? Will the humanities advisor’s skills and knowledge support the
project? Will the final program engage diverse perspectives?
Viability: Does everyone involved in the project, from the advisor, to the director, to contractors
and support staff have the experience to succeed? Are there clear goals, detailed plans, and a
reasonable timeline to achieve them? If the project relies on partnerships, are they in place?
Audience: Is the project designed with an audience’s experiences and interests in mind? Are
there relationships or clear plans in place for successful outreach or collaboration? Will Mass
Humanities’ support go where it will have an impact? Are events free or low-cost for attendees?
Budget: Is the budget reasonable and achievable? Are the plans described in the proposal
covered in the budget? If additional funds are needed to complete the project, is there a realistic
plan for securing them?
When writing your application, help us envision your project by giving illustrative examples and specific
details.
Who Qualifies as a Humanities Advisor?
Humanities advisors contribute to projects with their deep knowledge of humanities subjects or
methods. They are recognized by their peers for their expertise, or by a community as a bearer of its
knowledge and traditions. For example, a humanities advisor can be someone who has earned an
advanced humanities degree from a university, or a humanities advisor can be a tribal elder and
educator. Some humanities advisors may have knowledge of a subject matter relevant to the proposed
program. Some may be experts in a kind of humanities inquiry or method. Projects can have multiple
humanities advisors on their team, but at least one will provide a resume and statement explaining how
their humanities knowledge will inform the proposed program.
What are Humanities Subjects and Methods?
The humanities help us explore who we are as individuals, as members of a society, and as inheritors
of the past. According to the National Endowment for the Humanities, the humanities include the
following fields of learning: literature, language, history, philosophy, archeology, comparative religion,
law, ethics, interpretation of the arts, and social sciences that use humanities methods. Of course, new
humanities fields and topics emerge all the time. Many go by different names. What they share is a
method that values inquiry into individual and shared experience, connection to others’ ideas and
experiences, and reflection and interpretation.
Reporting and Publicity
Funded projects with awards less than $10,000 will receive 90% of their award upon submitting
their grant contract. Remaining funds will be awarded upon completion of a brief final report on
project outcomes and use of funds.
Funded projects with awards of $10,000 and above will receive 45% of their award upon
submitting their grant contract. Grantees can request an additional 45% of their award after
completing an optional interim report. All remaining funds will be awarded upon completion of a
final report on project outcomes and use of funds.
4 Funded projects that need to make major changes to the scope, timeline, format, key project
staff, or budget changes of more than $500 per-line item should submit a “change request” form
in the online grants system for approval.
Funded projects will acknowledge Mass Humanities and the Mass Cultural Council in publicity.
How to Apply
Starting your online application
If your organization already has an account in Mass Humanities online grant system, log in and make
sure that all of the contact information is up to date.
If your organization is new to Mass Humanities, you will need to create an account.
If your organization has previously applied for a Mass Humanities Project, Discussion, Local History, or
Reading Frederick Douglass Together grant using a fiscal sponsor as the applicant, you will also need
to create an account. This new account will be for your organization not your fiscal sponsor. In the
application, you will provide information about your fiscal sponsor.
Creating an Account
To create an account in the online grants system you will need to provide the following information:
Name and IRS Tax Identification Number of the applicant organization.
Note: If your organization does not have a Tax Identification Number you may enter 99-
9999999. In the application you will be asked to provide the Tax Identification Number of your
fiscal sponsor. Filmmakers should apply as “[First Name] [Last Name] – Filmmaker.”
Address and phone number of the applicant organization.
Name, address, phone number, and email address of the person completing the application. The email
address you enter here is important for two reasons:
The email address will become the primary contact for your grant application. All notifications
about the progress of your application, and all information should you be awarded a grant, will
be sent to this address.
The email address and password you enter at this stage will become your account login. You
will need them whenever you want to log in to the online grants system. Make sure you save
them for future use.
Completing the Application Stages
Expand Massachusetts Stories grants have four stages. See “Detailed Timeline” below for dates in this
process.
1. Letter of Inquiry (LOI) Form
2. Applicant Selection
3. Application Development
4. Final Application Submission
51. Letter of Inquiry (LOI): You application begins with a letter of inquiry form in the online grants system.
In the form, you provide information about your project idea, plans for implementation, and project
costs.
Accessing the Online LOI Form: When you log in to your online account, go to the “Apply” page
and select the “Expand Massachusetts Stories” grant. A “LOI” form will open. Work on
answering the questions. Your responses save automatically so that you can work on the form
over a few sittings. You can also click the “Save Draft” button to receive confirmation that your
answers are saved. When you’re done, click the “Submit” button.
2. Applicant Selection: Mass Humanities staff will review your LOI. If your project is competitive and
your plan is viable, Mass Humanities staff will approve your LOI. If your LOI is not approved, we are
happy to provide feedback.
3. Application Development: If your LOI is approved, you will be able to open an “Application” form in
the online grants system. A Mass Humanities program officer will create opportunities for feedback,
question and answer sessions, and advice over the month-long application development period.
4. Final Application: Your final application is due by 11:59pm on the final application deadline.
Final Application Process: Make sure you’ve answered all of the questions marked with a *.
Double-check any additional documents you’ve uploaded and press “Submit.” As always, leave
time to troubleshoot technical glitches.
Final Application Notification: Expand Massachusetts Stories grant applicants will be notified of
their award on September 21, 2021.
Detailed Timeline
June 1, 2021, 9am – Letter of Inquiries open
June 22, 2021, 11:59pm – Deadline to submit letters of inquiry
July 1, 2021 – Applicant selection notification
July 30, 2021, 11:59pm – Deadline to submit final application
September 21, 2021 – Award notifications
Requirement for Project Budgets
Mass Humanities funds can cover many types of project costs, from research hours, to exhibit design,
to printing, publicity and more. On our budget forms, you explain the costs of the project during the
grant period, how much of those costs you are asking Mass Humanities to cover, and how you plan to
cover the rest of them.
If your proposal is accepted into the application stage, Mass Humanities staff will help you understand
these rules and how to apply them to your budget.
Budget Limits
Mass Humanities limits spending on certain kinds of project costs:
Speaker Stipends/Honoraria: We fund up to $500 per speaker, per event.
6 Reusable Equipment: We fund up to $1,000 for the purchase of reusable equipment needed for
the project. Equipment cost requests should be kept to a reasonable percentage of the total
Mass Humanities funds requested.
Receptions: We fund food costs for receptions up to $300 per project.
Food: Reasonable food costs for program participants (such as lunch at a teacher’s institute or
food for youth in an after-school program) are allowed.
Lodging: We fund lodging up to $250 per person, per day.
Travel: Reasonable travel costs for project personnel, such as out-of-town speakers, are
allowed. Mass Humanities rarely funds international travel (originating outside of Canada,
Mexico, the U.S., and U.S. territories and possessions).
Cost Share Requirements
Mass Humanities funding can only cover up to half of your total project costs. The rest must come from
other sources, which can include your organization’s operating budget. These costs covered by other
sources are called your “cost share.” There are two different kinds of cost-shares, depending on how
the support is given:
Cash-share: Cash-share support is when actual money changes hands — when your
organization pays for things like work, supplies, external venue rentals, travel costs or fees. The
cash can come from your organization, from ticket sales or registration fees, and from other
funding sources.
In-kind-share: In-kind support is a cash-less donation. It includes things like free use of facilities,
supplies donated to the project, and volunteered time. In your budget, you’ll be asked to
determine the cash-value of these donations. For example, in Massachusetts, volunteer time is
valued at approximately $30/hour.
Matching Requirement: As above, Mass Humanities funding can only cover up to half of your total
project costs. Applicant organizations must at least equally match the amount of funding requested of
Mass Humanities through a combination of cash and in-kind contributions. This is often called a
“matching requirement,” or “one-to-one match.” It helps you show who else (including your
organization) is making a financial commitment or volunteer contribution to the project.
Cash match: At least 10% of the cost-share match must be a cash-share.
Budget Line Matches: Mass Humanities funds requested on Line A (Project Director) must be matched,
at least equally, in cash-share on line A. No other line requires a direct match.
Project Administration: Mass Humanities funds for Project Administration (lines A&B combined) may
not add up to more than 50% of the total Mass Humanities funding request.
Indirect Costs
Mass Humanities funds may be used to cover a portion of your indirect costs. Indirect costs are often
called “overhead” or “operating costs.” They don’t go directly to the project, but they are necessary to
do things like keep the lights on while staff works, manage financial transactions, and cover insurance.
Calculating Indirect Costs: Calculate your indirect cost request as 10% of the total direct project costs
you are asking Mass Humanities to fund.
7For example, an organization seeks $4000 for direct costs like renting a space it does not own, paying
speakers, and printing fliers. Using a 10% rate, it calculates its indirect costs as $400. Its total funding
request (direct plus indirect) is $4400.
Special Project Requirements
FILM PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
Mass Humanities supports documentary films that explore humanities themes through collaborations
between humanities experts and documentary filmmakers
Documentary Film Project Grants can support either:
Work that strengthens the presence of humanities expertise and results in pre-production
deliverables.
OR
Work that supports film distribution through audience education and engagement.
Documentary Film project deliverables include but aren’t limited to:
Research-supported film treatments
Trailers, websites, op-docs and other public engagement tools
Curriculum guides and/or teacher workshops for film screenings in K-12 classrooms
Distribution campaigns that include public screenings and discussions, including online
distribution
Translation or subtitles for the purpose of public engagement
Applicants must state whether they are applying for the pre-production or distribution phase of their film
projects. They also need to include a brief document demonstrating that a very similar film does not
already exist.
ORAL HISTORY AND STORY COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS
Oral history and story collection projects are eligible for Mass Humanities funding if the gathering,
sharing, and gaining insight into a community’s story is central to the project.
Projects whose primary aim is training individuals in storytelling performance are not eligible for Expand
Massachusetts Stories grants.
All oral history or story collection project proposals should demonstrate that the project meets the
following conditions:
1. At least 10 subjects identified by name or a specific group of subjects and a strategy for getting
them interviewed.
2. The involvement of an oral interview specialist. This person may be the humanities advisor, or the
project may have both an interview specialist and a humanities advisor who brings other necessary
knowledge to the project.
3. An interpretive/editorial step (an organizing and editing of the materials) that intentionally puts
together and shares samples or a thematic presentation of the interviews. For example, an exhibit,
public presentation, program, or website/page.
84. Training for interviewers that includes interview technique and equipment use, ethical
responsibilities, and education about the topic or community that is the focus of the project.
5. Technology: Use digital technology only. For advice, visit the Oral History Association’s website.
Video is permissible but an audio recording should be made simultaneously for back-up and
transcription.
6. A plan for storing and making interviews publically accessible. Projects that plan to store interviews
in a public archive should conform with standards of technology, privacy, and historical scholarship
such as described in the Principles and Best Practices of the Oral History Association. Be specific
about equipment, plans, and commitments.
7. Recorded interviews must be accompanied by a legal release. There is no standard form.
8. Projects that involve teaching must have commitments from teacher(s) and school, as well as
indicate how the project is aligned with the MA Curriculum Standards.
REQUIREMENTS FOR PROJECTS RELATED TO NATIVE AMERICAN & INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES
National Endowment for the Humanities Code of Ethics Related to Native Americans
Mass Humanities award recipients have the responsibility of ensuring that researchers and scholars
working on projects related to Native Americans, Aleut, Eskimo, or Native Hawaiian peoples adhere to
the following provisions:
Every effort should be made in advance of project design and execution to engage the agreement,
advice, and cooperation of members of the Native community in planning and execution of the project
and in the disposition and results from the project. This should be communicated to the Native
community and the anticipated consequences and results of the research or data-gathering should be
explained as fully as possible to the individuals and groups likely to be affected.
Where research or exhibition of materials involves the acquisition of material (objects and documents)
and transfer of information on the assumption of trust between persons, the rights, expressed interests
and sensitivities of those originating the material must be safeguarded.
There is an obligation on the part of the scholar/ researcher/principal investigator to reflect on the
foreseeable repercussions of research and publication on the participant population and to inform them
of the probable impact.
Native community consultants have the right to remain anonymous or be specifically named and given
credit if they so choose. This right should be respected where it has been explicitly promised.
Where there is no clear understanding to the contrary, sources should be kept confidential. Because
funded proposals, grant reports and other written material in the Endowment’s possession are available
to the public, no identifications contrary to the wishes of the community consultants should appear.
Investigators using recording devices such as cameras or tape recorders or the technique of oral
interviewing are also subject to the above criteria. Subjects under study should understand the
capacities of such machines and should be free to accept or reject their use.
Individuals or group community consultants should be fairly compensated (through reciprocal exchange
or monetary payment) for their services/ information and there may be no exploitation of subjects under
study. Scholars should make every attempt to guarantee appropriate credit (in the form of co-
9authorship or co-investigatorship) and the distribution of financial rewards where appropriate for
products resulting from projects.
Any report or work considered for publication (and where applicable and possible, films or exhibitions)
should be deposited with the Native representatives of the elders and traditional leaders of the
community. Every effort should be made to see that such a representational body has an opportunity to
view the films or exhibitions which result from work undertaken in the community.
This Code should not interfere with or preclude any formal agreements made between researchers
and Native peoples for the course of research undertaken with Federal funds. Further, the Code does
not preclude or supersede ethical codes subscribed to and endorsed by various professional
associations, but rather intends only to make clear the standards expected of those receiving
Endowment funds.
This Code conforms to the principles of Public Law 95-341 as amended (the Indian Religious Freedom
Act), Public Law 89-665 as amended (the National Historic Preservation Act), and other relevant public
laws governing relations with native peoples of North America. Those who direct projects that are
subject to the Code of Ethics are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the laws on which it is
based to ensure full compliance with the Code. Although the body of the law and customs on which the
Code is constructed is rooted in relations with native peoples of North America, researchers are urged
to follow it whenever living cultures and peoples are involved.
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